001Welcome to the November 10th, 2025 Maline Aberdine Regional School District Board of Education meeting. The New Jersey open public meeting law was enacted to ensure the right of the public to have advanced notice notice of and to attend the meetings of public bodies at which any business affecting their interest is discussed or agreed upon. In accordance with the provision of this act, the Manawan Aberdine Regional School District Board of Education advertised this meeting on November 5th, 2025 in the Ansbury Park Press. This notice was sent to the municipal clerks of the Burough of Madawan and the township of Aberdine and the Madawan Aberdine public library. The notice was also placed on the district's website. Please stand for the pledge of allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the stands nationy
002andice for all. Mrs. Foley >> here. >> Miss Files >> here. >> Mr. Montgomery, Mr. Monton >> here, >> Miss Pal >> here, >> Miss Scott >> here, >> Miss Brell >> here, Miss Martinez >> here, >> Miss Warn >> here. Be it resolved that a closed session be convened for the purpose of discussing privacy, personal matters, and legal advice. The subject matter of these discussions will be disclosed to the public when the reason for confidentiality subsides. Although the board cannot guarantee it, the length of executive session is estimated to be 30 minutes after which public meeting of the board shall reconvene and proceed with business. Action will take place. Can I have a motion and a second to enter executive session? >> Welcome to the November 10th, 2025 meeting of the Madawan Real School
003District. A motion and a second to accept the minutes. Motion and a second to accept the correspondence to the board. >> I'll second. Good evening everyone. Thank you for being here this evening. Um today we had our ribbon cutting for our new fitness court at the high school. I want to extend um a warm thank you again to our board of education members for their support to make this project come to fruition. I know we all had a lot of discussion around it um primarily about um cost and but the support that you all provided us in terms of making sure that you know was for kids and it was for our community. So, we're really really grateful for your uh support. I would also like to give a special thank you to central office
004admin um team especially um Mr. Leman, Alfred, um Miss Casease, and also Rick Carlson, who's our director of facilities. Um, I know when I brought it up, um, back in the springtime when I got an email about the possibility of receiving, um, funds to open up the fitness court, um, it really didn't have a lot of detail. It was like in my um, probably like my spam type of email. Um, so when I wrote it up to the team, particularly in this case, was like, "This is crazy. How are we paying for this? And I don't think we can afford it." Um, so I said [clears throat] that I said we're going to figure it out and we're going to work together. Um, I always believe that, you know, when it's for kids and for
005the community that, um, things seem to work itself out. Um, and with that, Miss Casease was very, very resourceful in terms of submitting the local recreation grant, which we worked out with the town of, um, township of Aberdine, and we were awarded the $93,000, and our sponsorship made up for all of the rest to have that beautiful fitness court. now that um all of our students can participate in phys classes and also the dance team and our dance classes along with the community members. So, thank you again everyone. Um we um in terms of I want to remind everyone about our scheduled community session on November 24th at 5:30. We will be hosting that at Ravine Drive. will be able to meet the capacity if um in terms of ensuring that everyone will um will
006be able to fit comfortably at Ravine Drive and um we will also continue we will send out the link for a virtual meeting um so families and community members can listen in virtually. At the meeting, we're going to share and discuss the scope of the redistricting project, the reasons why um redistricting was considered, and also intro introduce the team who has who will be working on the project and explain really just the timeline and the potential implementation for the plan. We all know um and we've discussed this several times that there does need to be some change. We just don't know what that change will be. Um and that was the reason we went out with our consultant to gather the information and get some more insight in terms of the data where we are.
007Um we will be providing any um clarifying any potential changes and how it can impact our students programming and school community and we will also include the various ways the community can provide feedback. Um the process will be discussed at the 24th session um on the 24th in terms of the process itself where it started where it began and what happens in the next few months and then um community will have time to input that information. We've been collecting the information also questions from our our community. So we will include those questions and responses etc. um at that meeting so everyone can hear that that information collectively as I've been trying to um email uh all the all the community members that have been emailing us. But we welcome the feedback. We expect that um
008we will be able to answer those questions at that meeting along with our consultant um from city cate board president's report. I want to take a moment also to clarify how the district and the board have been addressing enrollment growth and possible adjustment to our schools. Uh, no board member makes decisions in isolation. All actions take place publicly and only with a quorum present. Transparency is a core value of the board of education and a personal commitment of mine. The demographers report presented on June 5th has been publicly available since that meeting. That is the only data that's available. In other words, the public, the district, the board, they all have access to the same data. The conclusion of that report outlined options for managing growth within our facilities, which is has been on line
009since June 5th. The conclusion of that report outlined um you know, just what basically was found and what could happen. Since then, the topic of enrollment growth and future planning by potentially redistricting has been discussed at multiple board meetings and featured in the board articles in the Allar Around Madan and Aberdine newspaper starting in July and all the way through our most recent one. It's important that uh it's important to understand how it works. The superintendent and the administrative team develop the recommendations based on the data and based on professional expertise from the demographer. The board's role is to review those recommendations, ensure alignment with the district goals, and vote on them publicly. There's been some confusion about about the word plan. Right now, plan means the process of figuring out what works best. It's
010not a finalized blueprint. The demographers's analysis and the superintendent's forthcoming recommendation will guide that plan. Again, we haven't made decisions yet. The board of education represents both Madawan and Aberdine. There are three seats from Madawan and six from Aberdine. This is based on the student population from each town. Every member, regardless of their hometown, shares the same goal, supporting the success and well-being of all MSD students. Our focus is steady. It's to engage the community and support our superintendent's leadership to make informed, transparent decisions that put students first. Thank you, Mr. N. Can we have our student representative report? >> Yes, you can. Good evening, everyone. Even though November has just started, each school still has a lot to report. Starting with the high school, students were introduced to the brand new outdoor gym in
011a ribbon cutting samber ceremony just today as mentioned by superintendent Perez. This outdoor gym is available for any student, especially those in dance and will encourage a healthy and active lifestyle. In addition to this, fall sport fall sports has just recently ended with the football team making it to playoffs and the marching band getting third in states with a score of 88.3 and fourth in nationals with a score of 89.8. As for some not notable things being run by clubs, the men's mental health club is patient through to see which teacher will grow the pbeard. All proceeds will go to the Movember Foundation. In addition to this, AASU or African-American Student Union is hosting a food drive with student government, giving students a chance to support the community as well as gain BOTC points for
012the grade. Looking forward to events this week. NJSLA and NGPA field testing will begin this Wednesday and will continue until Friday. Last but not least, the Husky Openhouse experience is this Thursday, November 13th at the high school. Moving on to Cambridge Park, their students had picture day today with their halls being filled with smiles and excitement. This Thursday, they'll be welcome they will be welcoming DJ got me fit for a PTO sponsored assembly that will get everyone engaged and practicing their gross motor skills in a fun way. They're also celebrating World Kindness Day by painting rocks to add to their kindness garden, spreading positivity and joy. Next week, the school has a field trip to Stop and Shop where students will go on a scavenger hunt that ends with them scanning, paying, and checking out
013their own items. At Cliffwood, their first graders learned about the election process and voted for their cookies for their favorite cookies, connecting classroom lessons to real world experiences. In their pre-K class, the students were designing bridges in STEM class, and their third graders created X-rays of their hands to discover what would happen if our bodies didn't have bones. As for this week, Cliffwood students are looking forward to the Scholastic Book Fair and Coastal Wilds Assembly thanks to the Cliffwood PTO. Cliffwood would also like to take a moment to thank all of our veterans for their courage, service, and sacrifice. They asked that everyone joined them in wearing red, white, blue, or camouflage on Tuesday for Veterans Day to show our gratitude. Over at Strathmore, students and teachers alike celebrated Halloween with a costume parade and
014special classroom activities. All of the teachers dressed up as different holidays that span the calendar. Looking to the future, Straer will be running its annual food drive from November 17th to 21st with donations directly supporting the Straford community. A big thanks to the Straford PTO for their help with this event. In addition to this, Principal Kelly would like to remind everyone that their next PTO meeting is this Wednesday, November 12th at 7 p.m. with all being welcome. Next up is Ravine Drive with Principal Carvajal offering an update on their PBIS program. Students are continuing to earn tickets for being responsible, responsive, and reflective with weekly drawings also being held for students to earn rewards. This Wednesday, they will be celebrating the students nominated for the remarkable road runner award for the month of October for
015showing kindness. Last but not least, the PTO is hosting a bingo pizza night for the community on Friday, November 14th at 6 p.m. Then at Lloyd School, the school recently got its new attendance incentive program up and running for the month of October. The home rooms with the best attendance earned an extra re recess period with a large bowling board and regular announcements reminding students about the importance of getting to getting to school on time. Something to look forward to is the PTO winter chill event on Thursday, December 11th that Lloyd Road is gearing up for. Families can look forward to a fun night that will include a DJ, a hot cocoa bar, food and drinks, and more. In addition to this, students are getting ready for the NJSLA adaptive field test that will be
016given this week to all fourth and fifth graders. This test will allow staff and students alike to learn more about the new test before the official one in spring. After Lloyd is MAS, who have their annual Thanksgiving food drive that is active now through Monday, November 17th. For each food item donated, students will earn one point towards the classes with students even earning five points for any turkeys donated. NS is also holding a student design contest for a new school t-shirt. For three weeks, students have the opportunity to submit their designs to the basket in the main office. Principal Van Horn expresses his excitement for the creative ideas to come. And all of this brings me to the end of my report. Thank you for listening and I look forward to seeing all of you
017again next March. >> Thank you so much, Mr. N. It was great to see you out there with fitness court dedication and ribbon cutting and um the band sounded great. So, thank you very much. >> Thank you. >> Moving on to curriculum instruction, Mr. Leman. >> Thank you. Good evening. We're taking action this evening. Curricular instruction superintendent recommends the board approve item A travel is attached. Item B other we recommend the district that the board approve the district's participation in the M County teen arts program. Um you notice that this is in purple which just means this is a renewal. There's no cost to the district for participation. Item number two and three also in purple. These are renewals. We're asking the board to approve the annual memorandum of agreement between uh both towns police
018departments. We're asking the board to approve item number four which begins on the bottom of page one. Continues on page two. This is for field trips. So the field trip on the bottom of page one, this is a revised date. On page two of two, there are two new field trips. And then the last one that is at the bottom is another revised date. That concludes curriculum and instruction. >> Thank you. Can I have a motion and a second to approve the curriculum and instruction agenda? >> Any questions? I just have a comment. Um, I just wanted to thank the Everene and Manawan Police Departments for their service. Look forward to um having their continued cooperation. >> Student services director taking action this evening. We're asking the board to approve item number one, which is
019an out of district placement as listed. Item number two, ask the board to approve bedside instruction for the three students as listed. Item number three, we're asking the board to approve the agreement with the YMCA Raritton Bay for pool usage for students at the high school. Item number four, we're asking the board to approve a revision with our partnership with the commission of the blind and visually impaired for increased set of services for student as listed. Continue on to page two. We're asking the board to approve item number five, which is an agreement with New Jersey Transit to provide travel training classes for students at the middle school, high school, and students in our reach program. There's no cost to the district for this program. Item number six, we're asking the board to approve our
020participation in a professional development series called the emotional behavioral program quality indicators action learning group drive elementary has been selected for this program. It's at no cost. I do want to point out to the board that there are only six eligible districts in New Jersey. So we are one of six eligible districts being drafting one of um the our representative schools. So, this is a very u unique and fantastic opportunity for our staff members to engage in this professional development. Um, so we're excited to open the shared board with the board once that gets rolling. That concludes student services. >> Thank you. Can I have a motion and a second to approve second? Thank you. Any questions? Just to refund for the minutes for number one and number four, it will be 6:30 of 2026.
021>> I just have a comment about uh number five, the travel training program. Um my students in my school participate in travel training through NJ Transit and it has been so valuable for them to practice, you know, reading your training schedule, buying a ticket, getting to work or getting to where you need to go and um really supporting that. And then um number six in terms of um the professional development just want to ask so will we educate the staff every drive also talk to the staff members at the other elementary what you know >> when we do our professional development district training it's an opportunity for our staff to share the this is not a turnkey type program only because the program itself the staff retraining is unique to drive but teachers do have
022an opportunity to share with their colleagues. >> I just also want to say it's fantastic to be 106 is incredible. >> How did we get the opportunity? >> Um, so I I will attribute that to our director of student services who is always looking for programs that are engaging for staff but ultimately bring great results for kids. So all that credit goes to her and the staff on track. And moving on for staff. >> Thank you, Mrs. Hernicki. Uh the board received walking items uh that we are asking the board to take action on. Uh those resignations of absence and several appointments. Uh that concludes the walk-in items. On to our regular agenda. Uh we are asking the board to take items uh take action I'm sorry on the following items. Uh we have leaves
023of absence as listed with and without pay. We also have an appointment. Uh we're excited to get Mia started here. Uh she's been someone that's helped in the district wonderful job. Uh so we're excited to uh for her to start her career here as a teacher. We have extracurricular activities um crowd control. I'm sorry. As listed uh members who are going to work in that area, we also have uh on page two or three substitute nurse as listed. Uh we have some staff array changes in item number four uh to cover leaves of absences and student need as well. Uh finally item number five on page two of three we have a college student observer uh as listed. And then on page three of three, we have another cooperating staff member. Uh, and then we
024have a volunteer as listed. Uh, Mr. Brown working with the wrestling team for the 2526 school year. And finally, we have a our HIP report from our last meeting as listed. That concludes personnel. >> Thank you. Can I have a motion and a second to approve the personnel agenda? >> I'll second. Any questions? >> Okay, moving on policy. >> Moving on to policy. Thank you. Uh we have several first reads uh that we're asking the board to take action and then we have a second read and adoption that we are asking the board to take action. Uh we have a quorum. Uh the board has received information uh on all policies and they have reviewed information and has had questions. Um the quorum uh gives us several definitions um that are spelled out. Um one
025of the uh key questions that came out of this uh policy was the doctrine of necessity uh which I've spoken to Mr. Rubin uh where he if needed can describe that further for the board. Uh we have religion in the schools uh as listed a lot of federal and state guidelines on that. Um that uh you know it's a policy that's been around but it's one that was updated uh and we are just following those state guidelines. Um, attendance is a policy that we we reviewed back in August and we uh approved it, but then the board um went a further discussion which was actually a good good recommendation for us to uh get more clarity in terms of how young people students here would have opportunities to make up miss assignments and not be
026scrutinized for that. Uh so the school-based administrators who met with uh teacher groups uh counselors and so forth and came up with specific timelines for that. Uh the administration of medical marijuana um terms really defined there. That's a policy we the district has been following. Uh but it's um the terms are defined. For example, marijuana is being changed to cannabis. Uh and there's also some um practical uh resolutions that are in the resolution. Uh lead testing in water. Um big uh thing with that was timeline changing uh specifically from 6 years to every 3 years that these tests have to be uh conducted. Our last one was in 2025. Um and that is posted on the board website, the district website. Administration of school surveys. again uh parent rights uh listed in there and giving
027parents u information on these surveys and opportunities to opt out uh along with recruitment of special interest groups very similar a lot of opt out language um and timeline language mentioned there in our second reading for student journalism uh this uh was a policy that came under um question and discussion at our last meeting and we thought that we needed more deliberate language in terms of the days. Um the three days listed that administration has chance to respond uh to a student submission. Um 3 days was a was a a amount of time that was given by Strauss SMA which is legal um representation but it is up to the board to decide that amount of days. Um we decided that three school days um would be sufficient and that would be concrete for parents,
028for teachers, and for students alike. Uh that ends the policy section of the agenda. >> Thank you. Can I have a motion and a second to approve the policy agenda? >> Any questions? Do you have a question? Um, I just had the question in terms of the um question. >> Do you remember what that was? >> Yes. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. In the doctrine of necessity, I just wanted a clarification. I know it probably makes complete sense and stress as but for me it said because I've had instances where I could not participate because of conflict of interest but it said if we need a quorum that that person whoever votes could step in but it also says at the same time that that person can't be in on the conversations explaining it.
029So I didn't understand how whoever this person is they can't be in the conversation where it's being explained. how could they be called in under the doctrine of necessity and then be able to help. So I I just didn't understand and I'm sure there's an explanation. that is uh you know I can I'm not sure which particular portion of the policy you're talking about but doctrine of necessity was intended to avoid avoid being paralyzed because there are not enough non-conlicted board members so let's say we had a matter which required five votes and we had six board members who were conflicted we didn't have enough non-conlicted board members this would allow those board members with conflicts to announce what their conflicts are adopt a resolution invoking get it out of necessity. There's certain procedural loops
030you need to jump through and once that's done, then all those board members who do have conflicts would then be allowed to participate fully. Um, including people who might not have been part of the discussions earlier because they were conflicted. Um, the board must vote and those conflicted are allowed to participate. They can participate fully. Maybe it's getting brought back up to speed on discussion previously. Great. Thank you. Um I have a question to I know it's but regarding the attendance policy um in terms of well thank you first of all for including the number of days that the kids have to make up the work because having kids in district for years I know it varies teacher to teacher um and with things posted online sometimes you're expected to go in with the work
031readily done the day after being sick and sometimes you just can't work you know if you're sick. Um, so my question is, and I know you answered it, but in terms of the staff, h how do we get that information to all the teachers in the district that kids actually have a number of days to make up that work so that you know, I know you said there was a teacher panel or something that >> Yes, and that's a good question, but it was a like a focus group uh where teachers were asked their input for department and then that input was given. Um I think that and this is even going back to some of the work that Mr. Leman has done. The district has done a really good job in terms of focusing
032on attendance and a byproduct of attendance is when students are absent them being able to have being afforded time to make work up. Um I think the intention of us us even charging the administrators and the teachers with sitting in rooms and small rooms and discussing these things is is a start you know in a sense of raising some type of awareness that this is important. I think going forward we're going to see even in like for example u a syllabus that's maybe handed out to students or you know even in um our student handbooks and things of that nature that language being uh included but I I think that it's it is going to be something that is going to be of importance of in making sure that we're following it we're being consistent
033but then I think there's also you know there's times where we have these days but we don't live in a perfect world so there's going to be times where some people need more time and I think that our teachers, our administrators, our staff here are responsive to student and family needs. So, I think that that's a part of this as well >> because because I think that's what's important to me is like the kids having the flexibility when they come back if they were sick to make up the work to understand the work then make up the work because you can't just do the work if you haven't taught the lesson. Um but also um because we do get the syllabuses or you know the parent contracts and the student signs and we sign and
034you know those are obviously we're already made up for the year before this and those differ in some cases. So I just want to make sure that you know I know it's a start but just if we keep promoting that the kids actually have time to make up the work that Dr. roles. Can I just follow up on Annette's are is it a possibility that the teaching staff um that we can forward the policy to them just giving highlighting them that FYI we work on it we change it just so everybody's on the same page and then like you said I know they're willing to work with the kids but at least there's starting point that would be great >> yes I I definitely will do that after uh the action tonight >> and to
035pick feedback on that. I completely support everything that's been said and I know that the student handbooks obviously don't come out again until next September. So that's something to just keep in mind to make sure those are changed to have them in writing. And I so appreciate that you said, you know, Mrs. Skoolie and I are coming, we've talked about this in terms of each teacher having different policies in the past and having that concept repeated that sometimes you even need longer than what's in the policy, but at least we have the polic. So, thank you so much for all that extra work. >> I also wanted to do a thank you to you because even bringing up the concept, I remember when this was first discussed, it almost sounded like for a moment like
036we were going to come up with something top down. And your suggestion right away that we're going to go talk to the teachers and figure this out. And I think that that really has made what I hope will be something that is workable for students and families. It's also workable for teachers. So, I really appreciate that. course >> for the benefit of the community, can you quickly just explain what the timeline is? >> Sure. So, it's uh for every day, students are often absent uh from school. So, what we wanted to do is come up with a reasonable amount of days that students have time to make up work. So, for every day that young person is absent, they will have that day to make up work. So if they're absent for three days, they
037would have three days to make up any type of assignment. Um but again, our teachers are really responsive. So if if it's a case where a student needs more time or even more support, uh those things would be offered to a to a student as as well. But initially that's exactly what it is and that's what the uh the policy now reads more specifically. >> Thank you. I have a question about um our student journalism. Can uh you just go over the change the the wording of that 3 days school days just so I want to make sure everybody's good because it's the second week so voting on that. >> Yes. the that policy. The question was uh because the policy states that 3 days after a student submits uh journal journalistic work I guess
038we would say um that there's three days school days uh that the administration would have to review and then approve or disapprove of said publication. Um it being school days I think school days are clearly defined on our school calendar. I mean, and even parents get calendars with the number of days listed on each. So, I think that we're in good shape in terms of if a student submitted something on the ETH and it's a Monday, then we know that it would be the 9th would be Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, but if a weekend or a holiday or a snow day or any type of date came in between that, they would not be counted. uh so that the you know the student will have a reasonable time uh because it is a first amendment
039you know uh situation um for the review and then the administration will defer back to the student. So it's three school days that that's the way that it's defined at present. >> Thank you. finance. I'm sorry, I have one more question on um can you give us a 10sec rundown of the religion and policy? >> Probably teach a course on religion. I couldn't, but I'm sure Mr. Rubin could. Um but it basically the policy is it it leads more toward prayer in school and students being able to have opportunities for prayer in school uh almost sort of like an accommodation if requested. Um but it's also it speaks more to private prayer. Uh there are cases in schools where a student just bows their head and you know says a prayer before a test. Um
040and as long as these um these acts of prayer uh or allegiance to religion are not in any way encumbering students or staff um they should be considered and allowed. Uh that's what that's what the spirit of the policy um is. Um I don't know Mr. Ruben may want to further uh describe or explain, but >> I think what the policy tries to do is track the developing religion decisions of our US Supreme Court over the last 10 or 20 years. And uh you know whatever folks might think on one side or the other on the issue the fact is that our Supreme Court has been expanding its acceptance of religion and public life in general and also religious activity in the public schools and there have been a number of cases which have made
041clear that whether it's students or faculty if they have a private time even during the school day. this is time of their own where they could be calling home or reading a book or doing other things where they're not bothering anybody that you can't say for example during that time when you could be doing anything else you cannot be engaging any religious activity so if somebody want to engage in a moment of private personal prayer you couldn't prohibit that just because somebody observing them might think that the school district is establishing some sort of religion 40 years ago the Supreme Court decision would have said just the opposite but these days our circuit court is saying that you can't single out religion for less favorable treatment than other activities um that you would freely allow
042for the fact that it's religiously inspired. So I think that's what the policy is trying to track that development of law. Just make sure we're on the right side of our court decisions in that area. >> Good evening. We'd like to take action on the following items for finance. The board secretaries report for the month of October. payroll for the month of October, receipt and acceptance of the board secretary of treasures report for the month of October, the appropriate transfers that are attached, the bills list for the month of October. We will have a secondary to ensure that we pay healthcare and utilities as soon as those are readily available. Uh for November, we will be approving the enrollment report as attached, out of district tuition for receiving revenue for our keys program as listed.
043acceptance of donation for the keys program uh from the recovery innovations for some chairs for our students that attend there. Uh it is the season for us to get started on our budget for the 2627 school year. For us to start that, that means we need to provide information to the state for our preschool projections and our annual preschool operating plan. I'd also like to ask for approval on the fire and evacuation drills for the month of October. If you look down, the second one for Cambridge Park Elementary is D, my one-handed typing skill needs to be approved. So, please refund that'll be PM. And then for the bus and evacuation drills as listed and that will be >> Thank you. Can I have a motion and a second to approve the finance agenda? >>
044Motion. >> Any questions? >> Um, just one thing I wanted to point out um to the public. thing that we started doing uh this fiscal year is we started um keeping track of and publishing and the links are actually attached to the agenda that's online um our enrollment report. So each month we can track how our our buildings are growing. So it's actually broken out by building um since July I believe we've had over a hundred new students. Correct. Um this month I think it was three new students I could pray right. So each month it is growing so we're just keeping track so that we have a better handle on where the growth is coming in um and just monitoring that essentially. So thank you. >> Thank you. Any other questions? Okay. The board
045of education recognizes the value of public comment on matters of interest to the school community. Individuals wishing to speak must state their name and address. Comments are limited to three minutes duration, but an individual may speak a second time after all others who wish to speak on the topic have been heard. All statements should be directed to the board president and no participant may address or question board members individually. All speakers are requested to express themselves in a civil manner with due respect for the dignity and privacy of others whose legal rights may be affected. Please note, while it is not the board's intention to stifle comment on matters of legitimate concern, the public should be aware that if their statements violate the rights of others under the law of defam defamation or invasion of
046privacy, they may face personal liability to the injured party. If speakers are uncertain of the legal ramifications of their comments, the board urges them to seek guidance beforehand from their own legal advisor. We will take public comments. Would you like us to go to the [cough and clears throat] >> Yes. Come to the podium please and state your name and your address and then you'll have three minutes. Uh I my name is Gabriel. I live at 30 Somerset Place. Uh this is a two-part question. Um one is just about the makeup of the board. Um when there's redistricting questions or matters where there would be potentially marijuana would be disproportionately impacted. How do you work out that move? So for instance, Madawan here is the minority board members representing them. So is there some kind
047of thing that you guys do so that it equalizes that is like the first part of the question. My second part is you said that this is going to be data driven. However, many of us have read the demographic report they referred to where there's no additional data that's come to light. So, in that report, it said that as a district, we are under passing and that even though redistricting was an option, that seems to be the most disruptive option of the other things he's mentioned. So, uh, my next question would be with the two overcrowding schools being Cambridge and Strathmore, it seems to make much more sense to address the the over population of prek since we took all of students. And the second part is why we should just move out more students.
048So if the rumors are true, you know, that potentially only and click move, I want to have on record that the optics of that are very poor. Not just because we're under reppresented, but also because it's very clear that um the minorities and the low SCES clustered in one school where at Strathmore would be higher SCES and less diversity. And that's outrageous. That would be a crazy thing to do, especially since your own demographic report says that none of this even needs to happen. That we could just do small resoning or classroom changes or something like that. Would you like me to say one answer or Thank you. Um I can answer one part of that. As I mentioned in the board president's report, the way the board is made up is determined by the
049number of students from each town that attend the district. So that's how it's made up. I don't know, David, if you have anything to add to that. >> If the question is, is there some way where representatives of one town somehow get get to participate in a way differently than other members of the board? The answer is not people on this board talking about district. Each board member is a full board member with legal rights to have input into the decision-m process and legal vote. I'm not sure if that's where your question was going, but >> yeah, I I think it's human nature to understand that when there is a vote that could disproportionately affect schools like me that we feel under reppresented. So that ultimately we are more impacted than someplace else who would
050be foolish to think that somebody who ahead and perhaps lives and has children in that school and friends that go to that school. I think it would be foolish to suggest that it doesn't even that it doesn't at least look as though that's favor. >> Well, I mean how things appear and you know each board member stands accountable to publicly the votes that they take. Um how it appears I guess is up to the board member and folks who are observing that but in terms of of the law there's no difference between any board member's right to participate in that decision making process. >> Okay. Well, here's hoping that your ultimate decision doesn't disproportionately affect one school and thank you. My question is more comments more last person Can you hear me now? >> Say
051your name. >> Yeah, my name is uh David Abby. I live at 42 Avenue. Uh my question is around the the company that's doing the assessment as well as the plan for redistricting. Was that sent out to multip um Um once the results come back for the redistricting and recommendations, will we be doing anything to pure those separate from that particular vendor? Um and you know mitigate any bias that may be there. Another question is are they engaged for any other contractual work with the district or will they gain any bending opportunities after their recommendation? Thank [snorts] you. >> Thank you. Um, let's see. Miss Casease or Mr. Perez, I don't know. Either one of you would like to answer that. Um, th this I'll say that the demographer was word approved. Um, they're out
052of state. They're located out of state. Um, and they used um their their methods include very specific protocols of how they gather information. Um, I know that they tried to talk to both municipalities, had varying amounts of success with talking to the municipalities about what their building plans were. Um, they look at turnover of, you know, we have a lot of older people that are moving out, younger families moving in. I noticed it on my own street, a lot of lot of strollers, kids, uh, young kids. So, I can speak to that part of what I know. Um, >> can I just clarify? So it a single bid or was it put out to >> I haven't got to that >> it was put out to bid for request for proposal. >> And how many
053people >> only one source? >> So there was a um a demographer study 10 10 years ago. It was another organization that did conduct that. Um 10 years. No, no, I'm just saying so that the so the community is aware and also if anybody's going to watch the video that it's important to know that there was another demographer study 10 years ago. Um and from that that the purpose of the board doing that I was not here either um but the purpose of the board um doing that study at that time was really to look at growth because at that time there were um projected developments and so the board at the time was looking to see if that was going to impact any of the any of our schools or any one specific school.
054So just for historical perspective they're also taking considerations. So can I just say from what I understand um that that demographers's report was done by the same gemographer who also did a demographer's report for one of the towns and recommended to us by that town and the report came um the result was that there would be no growth no growth zero by any of the development and um we know for a fact that we have 120 new students from one particular development alone in the last how many years? One year >> just in one year. So that's we decided to go out for RFP for a new demographer. >> Um I I think or the question I mean I'm intrigued by it too is um would the democra gain from any other RFPs that we're
055planning over the next year or two? >> Anyone want to bid on both? How does it work? the analysis and the planning. And where is that public release for bid? >> It would be on the minutes on the website. >> I think he might be the procurement like the bid ad where was it advertised? I'm sorry interrupting. >> It would have been placed in the as press and there is no other further work than >> and they're not all right. Um, can I just make a comment? Um, just for history purposes, um, probably 20 years ago, we redistrict that it was before my kids were even in the school. Um, and they didn't use anybody. They just kind of sat figured it out. This is what we're going to do. And so I cannot tell
056you Well, I'm sure you could imagine what that was like in the community. Um, so when we decided to hire a demographer, it it it was a great idea. Um, it was amazing the work that he does. But not only that, being able to make any decisions on changing orders, boundaries, or redistricting or changing schools is not in any of our purview. So therefore, we need a professional who does it. So I was very grateful that we decided to bring somebody on to help us because all I know is the first time there was nobody. So I'm grateful that we have somebody. >> So can you tell them your question asked? answer. There was a question about after the redistricting um uh policy or or recommendations are submitted that will be pure reviewed by another
057vendor, another professional solely on the the company that >> do the analysis end to planning and we're not going to be which could impact certain schools. >> I I don't know if this girls are um a peer review of the recommendations by I suppose we would have to go out for RFP again, find somebody, pay them. I don't know how that would work out. >> The question is whether the board has any current plans to pay somebody for a second opinion. I wonder if any plans to do that. You're free to do that if you want, but plans to do that short. >> Hi, my name is George Lee. I live at 18 Mill Road. Um, so I live right off 79. If some or all remain students are sent to Clipwood, would that include
058those of us who live almost 4 miles from Clipwood Elementary? So, we haven't we haven't even gotten that at all at all. So, it's not that's why when I sent out the letter that no decisions were made, no decisions were made in terms of schools boundaries, we're at zero. And so the purpose of the 24th is for him to share based on the information that we provided from the demographer study, but also any our we shared our current enrollment and then if there were any like changes he was able to then reach out to our towns like to make sure is there any additional housing being planned for example. um he he looked at you know so that study was done in June so there's not much change other than if there's something that was
059recently approved with redevelopment maybe um and then if our enrollment changed the other key piece is that um that he didn't have in the democracy study is our busing routes transportation so when I say that there aren't any that there are no decisions that are made but we're well aware um and I would as superintendent I would never impact just make a recommendation where it's just impacting one district because of some of the comments that have been shaped one school. Sorry. Um because of some of the comments, you never want to have a district where you have disproportionality. Um that could also then there's a lot of there's a lot of problems that can happen with disproportionality of funding. >> So you you are all going to be hearing the data for the very first
060time on the 24th. It's just it's not just us hearing this data for the board. all of us together including all of you here March on the 24th and then the board votes in February 26th >> that's the so for the 24th citygate the consultant is the individual who's presenting um the team in terms of the questions that have been submitted we will be like like interject not interjecting but kind of making that part of the presentation so that he's aware what the community questions were and if we are able to at that time based on what was provided to him, we will include those as well. Um because we do want to make sure that everything is kind of being addressed and just share all of that information. So for example, some of the
061questions that came up are is it just review drive? No, it's not because no decisions have been made and but the other is that the team would never recommend that to the board. Um the other is that um you know in terms of grade level configurations not decided. Now are those options when you look up you know what does redistricting mean um there are options for re grade level configuration and also those reszoning and then the boundaries. So, but again, no decisions have been made because we need to get the um let him compile all the data and see what it kind of looks like. >> Just I'm understanding correctly, you'll be making a decision in February. >> A potential recommendation will be made in February. Um whether whether yes, no, then if it's a
062yes, then what are we recommending? Um any of potential options. and you feel confident that you had the time in less than 6 months, then to do whatever reconfiguration or redistricting that you guys decide to do, you know, before August, I figure it would have to be done. And then so we we may depending on what the recommendation is, you know what I mean? So it's too early to tell. So if it were just let's just for example say if it was just bus routes and we were reszoning just because of busing and we don't have our children on buses for an hour to get across town to certain build because some of the zoning is a little um it's it it doesn't make sense to us the current zoning some in some areas some
063streets are divided between three particular buildings Strathmore Clifwood and Rivian Drive we have roads we have roads that are just between Strathmore and Flipwood. We we new administrators do not understand it. Um the board does not understand why it was zoned that way because it was done 20 20 I think 20 years ago. So, um that's that that's sort of the data that he's collecting and seeing, okay, do you have um 130 kids on say in the I section and then we may have another section that has another 50 kids. How are we getting those? Are they all on how are we busing them? How are we how are they how are they um impacting enrollment, etc. Combined with the other pockets of where we're seeing um in an increased environment, if that makes sense.
064>> Okay. >> So, what he's going to present is really going to be a we're going to hear for the first time. >> Um, as well, >> so as you can imagine, we just want what's best for our kids. I feel that our children deserve to go to school in the town we reside in. I would also like to express my concern with the idea of any proposal where elementary school is ending that second grade. I feel like that's not in the best interest of our children to end elementary school so early. >> Thank you. I'm sorry you're almost at six minutes and we really appreciate your time. >> All right. Well, thank you for hearing me out. >> You're you're so welcome. We want to make sure we get everybody answered, but also there's
065a lot of people here, so we have to get to everybody. >> Missy, I don't want to take a lot of extra time, but um something I just occurred to me while we were talking um back when I was an audience member, not a board member. I think it's hard for me to imagine that if we're receiving like in this case, if we're receiving a report, this is not something that that qualifies for executive session. This is the only way we can receive it for the first time. We can't meet prior and talk about it. It's not legal. We have to invite the public. And so therefore, it may sound a little wild that we're receiving a report at the same time you guys are, but we are. >> That was also in the board
066president's report. >> Yeah. Yeah. information is only in public only when the quorum is present. So yes, exactly. >> But that is why we did it as a community session so that the community is hearing first. So it's not a board meeting on the 24th. It's it's actually you guys are the board members are participating. They're invited just as but the rest of the parents and the rest of the community are invited. And so conceivably if if it's something as you know one step as of changing boundaries I consider that like a one-step solution that could happen potentially in September. If it's not if it's something that's much more comprehensive, we're not married to the idea of doing this for next school year basic. But how I interpret that is could it be a phase
067in based on what we're going to hear that evening and the continued work because we still have a lot of work to do um between them. So if it's a phase in that could be a possibility too. Okay. >> Not until everybody who wants to speak has spoken. So if anybody else who hasn't spoken yet would like to speak, we would like to hear from you and then we'll listen a second time. >> My name is Brian. I live 972 north everybody not close enough. Sorry. Okay. Uh bride 972 north beautiful. Um there's been some discussion about undevelopment having you know several armed over 100 children in one year and reading the report the report specifically it explicitly stated in the report that is a well-established community with essentially very little chance for additional population
068developments resulting from housing developments. But it seems like you just now said that what the study said is not true. So, could you please name the development that you're speaking of? And I had 127 students come into the single development that was just referenced a few minutes ago and respond to some of those questions. So in Aberine um glass works their first phase um we had 120 students um but not for any particular grade level. So it's not it's prek to it's prek to 12 um and some at a district meaning they had to be placed at a district for special services. >> Yes, that's correct. And it's my understanding interpreting math correctly that those students are distributed to go to uh Cliffwood Elementary School at President State I think who gets your district in
069present if I'm interpreting correctly they're all going >> well only goes up to third grade. So >> that's fine >> based off based off of the current zoning. Yes. >> And then the last part of my question then I'll sit there. So based on the fact that the study says there's little potential for additional populations coming into the school, but we know that's not correct and it's showing that there's about 200 new units coming on in the next year. Is that where 127 students come from or are we talking about additional students on top of that coming in in the next school year from the 200 units that are going to be put into that classroom? >> So unfortunately I don't know for sure those numbers. I don't have them. I don't personally have them
070off the top of my head, but the 120 students that have come in from phase one, as Miss PZ said, is at the actual number of students. So that's not a projection. That's >> already >> correct. Correct. >> So then there's going to be more students coming into class. So the additional 200 units that are projected in the board, >> we I mean we we can't we have really no way of knowing that. I I do I do know that um I think I meant to speak to the enrollment. So we're monitoring the enrollment, right? So in when Missy mentioned in July or I think it was Miss Skully from July to I believe it was September 9th we had 100 plus students register they were not accounted for that did not come from glass
071works that came from everywhere that right so in terms of the what the demographer reported um with that particular development and he'll be able to explain an anti overcome. So then you can ask those questions because he's can you can answer them much clearer than I can. Um but instead the the 120 came out of that first phase. The next phase um whenever they're for us it's I'm not we're not waiting for any phase to be completed because it's going up and families moving just like if you sold the house that they're just moving it. So it's hard to kind of say by next year or even middle of this year we'll have an additional 100. I think that's my exact it's very hard to say exactly the demographics of the new glass residents will
072be but I think we all agree that it's skewing a lot higher than Nashville County anything town averages that are used in the report. So my concern would just be that all the space that's projected for a school like let's say Clifford Elementary is going to evaporate in maybe just one year depending on the enrollment and the demographics of any new buildings they're designed the next few years. Thank you. I also want to reiterate that point that um we found out at a board meeting I believe it was in August that within 3 weeks we had approximately 75 new students register. So, that was between the time that I think, correct, correct me if I'm wrong, between the time that we had um the district had come up with classroom numbers and locations for specific
073classrooms, including special needs classrooms. Between that time and the first day of school, we had 75 new students enrolled. I think you're where you're going with this is that we had to open up a new class and it wasn't in the class was zoned for a different elementary building. It was zoned for Strathmore and we had to find another location. If we didn't open up a class and quickly pivot with a new classroom, then the class size at Strathmore for kindergarten would have been close to um 28 students, which we would never want to do. So the purpose is kind of really when we talk about um disproportionality in terms of enrollment, we're looking at that too because you don't want a bu any of our buildings to be overcrowded. You don't want large class
074sizes. You want them to get to the building and leave the building during dismissal in a safe and orderly manner. So we're trying to avoid any overcrowding. So to your point sir when you were bringing up Clifford could project to being um depending on how many people move there in one development it could be you could be looking at a situation to over to being overcrowded. The goal of this project that we're doing is to project not for 26 27 but it's in future years to come in terms of looking at all of the whether it's housing the turnover you can never really predict but with current housing you can um the I think everyone's question too is that we're talking about Strathmore where we have this year we have 511 students there um the
075school is projected if we look go back and I just said based on for the current zoning that building is well over 550 that where we have students that are zoned there. It's closer to like um like about 600. So, but that's not who obviously that's not how many kids we have going there. Um we've created programs in different buildings where you know some of the students are have or assumed in another well projected for another program if that makes sense. And I think so we're planning now because we just saw how quickly we had such a large amount of growth that we did have to open up a classroom in another building and bust kids over there because it happened so quickly. So we're trying to plan ahead. We need the data first and
076then we want to plan ahead so that we're not in a predicament in you know next year where we have nowhere to put everybody. Um, so I think we're doing the right thing planning ahead once we have the data. I think we'll all be more, you know, informed because right now we're we don't have anything minus the demographer study like we can't even say because we haven't seen the data. Also, I think another point kind of about that planning ahead thing is that while right now we can see that Strathmore is overcrowded. Um, in three, four, five years it looks like wood is going to be overcrowded. So, like do we do this and then do it again and then two more years after that do it again. I mean like or do we actually
077project and make some plans that could be phased but actually come up with a plan that that lasts for, you know, 20 years. visit previously without any studies >> and Ravine is close as well, right? We're we're getting close to capacity there. Anybody else would like to I just have to make I'm so sorry. I just really want to make sure that everybody who's wanted to speak already has spoken before we go back for second round speakers. >> Okay. I think um there was somebody else who wanted to speak. Um, so my my question is if Cambridge is over, obviously it makes sense to move the overflow instead of everybody. But to be honest, I don't really want that for those children either because we're not dot our children aren't dots on a map. And
078I know these guys come in and they move around. And I want you guys to all remember that our children have made friends at these schools, groups of friends, you know, the halls and teachers. So I understand that it's not an easy decision you guys have. But I need you to remember that just moving a dot is not just moving a doc, right? It's uprooting a child, which is detrimental to, you know, foundational education. So besides just making common sense moves like the overflow shrap makes more sense. My my question is we took $7.8 million for preschool correct as a grants is that grant for one year. Did we sign up for five year? Um, how committed are we to this grantf funed prek which feels like a luxury that we can no longer afford?
079It's wonderful to have free prek, right? But people are going to flock here for for free prek and that number is going to go up up somewhere from 40% to 178%. So what commitment can we make to this grant funded prek free for all? So, I just want to say one thing. If any of us here thought that kids were dots on a map, we would not be here. So, my kids went through this district. I am very proud of this district. Nobody here is here because we feel like we'll be dots around on a map. So, just wanted to say >> Lind Case, can you share um budget wise um for preschool what the budget covers? >> Have we made a commitment to be in this grant funded prek for just this year? Is
080it three years? Is it five years? >> It's a yearly. It's we It's a yearly plan. So, we were we were approved in um to open up preschool. It the department of education looks at the state of New Jersey. They said, "Okay, you have a certain population. They you have a population of X and you are eligible to apply for the funding um which is secured funding. Um it's b it's based off a calculation. So for example um for next year based on our the calculation that they use they're saying that there are 550 58 preschoolers out in our community. Are we offering 558 spots? No. Um they base it off of the what we can um um base it off of the universe. So we have to meet 90% of the universe. I say
081that the board and the administrative team did make a commitment in terms of providing early learning for our students. Those students are active prior to going moving forward with the funding. The students are coming here. Um they would be here for kindergarten. We have no way of projecting that let's say um the kindergarten registration. The other piece is that it's early learning. We're reducing numbers in terms of um special education and providing least restrictive environments for those students along with having them with their positive um their non-disabled peers. >> So >> and it also I'm going to answer the last question but and also it is also supporting the local budget. we have added staff with preschool funds in each of the elementary buildings that some of our staff members were only say part-time. Okay,
082so that's one and the other which is that is something that our community members have continuously asked for over since I've been so going you know 11 years but so it is supporting um some of the budget in terms of each of those elementary buildings. I think that can get a little risky to suggest that our school age kids who are going to school now listen I have she benefits from it but if I was a luxury that our schoolage kids not where they were going originally because we need to take in some of get grant money I mean I think that's dangerous of the slippery slope I think that is something that needs to be looked at make it a true lottery and only house only That's what we can house. We have preschoolers
083at every elementary. So you say they're coming into kindergarten. We have plenty of room for all of these students who weren't also housing prek at every school. You removed prek just to Cambridge. That opens up what? Four classrooms at every elementary school, but because you don't want to let go of school money, all of our kids are going to have to move around. That also feels foolish. >> Thank you very much. Sorry. Over time. Yes. So um preschool, correct me if I'm wrong, the state is moving towards the districts all having preschool. We are being grandfathered in as having it fully paid for. The other districts are not going to have that moving forward. Correct. So it's coming to the other districts. We will ours will be paid for. The other districts will only have
084a portion, right? 6040. So the other districts are going to have to pick up that cost whereas ours is fully funded. So just something to keep in mind. I understand what you're saying, but just something to keep in mind. >> I also wanted to bring up that just that I my own kids went to preschool in our district prior to 2020. We've had a preschool year for a lot longer than five years. It was >> You had to pay for it yourself unless your kids >> I'm sorry. Are you going to get back to regular order here and do a public comment? We It's public comment so we can't have discussion right now. Sorry. >> Um again, thank you all for your time and commitment and congrats um facility for um development. So excited to
085see you here next year. Um, I really don't have a lot to say. This redistricting will largely not affect my children. But as many of you know me, I've been in education for 18 years. I'm now a supervisor of curriculum and instruction in another district. And I am very passionate about education. And I think you all know it, but I guess I want everyone else to hear it that I think that the research shows small class sizes and prek is a good thing. So, I know that sometimes we have to make decisions that are going to impact some people more than others. It's disheartening right now that Shakar is so overcrowded. Um, we are over capacity. Um, and again, my daughter will not be there next year, so it's not really technically my problem, but
086I just I really care about it and I want all kids to have the same opportunities. We're one district. So when I hear people say you should go to the school town you reside in there's lots of children that live in that push more. So you want to change the attendance zones you want to send the kids that need special education back over to ravine have at it. But it's very disheartening to hear that because we are here for all of our students. We are one district come. We're here for our children. Are you serious? >> Do we have any other public comment? >> Does anyone want a second chance? >> Hi there, Brian. Brian, a beautiful talking to you once again. So, I just wanted to refresh everyone's memory. Maybe we forgot a little
087bit. But back when we tried to do I say tried because it didn't really work the first time. There was a rumor that the grant money was going to come through from the preschools. This is I want to say right at the beginning right before co right I have it on authority that preschool student teachers were hired to be preschool teachers. They took the jobs came to the training and then the day before school was going to start the announcement came up. The funding is not there. Sorry. I know that personally we had to go back and beg our son's prek to reenroll him even though they were at capacity and luckily we got back in. I don't know if everyone else is as lucky as we were had as close of a connection with
088our our preschool private preschool. We had to go back and keep paying for them. Um, I remember, and the reason I'm bringing it up is because as part of that plan, there were a lot of other buildings that were being talked about as being available to house the students as preschool. There was an old YMCA building. There's a building off Broad Street near the baseball fields there. There's a lot of other buildings that are not just the main schools that were currently housing the students. It seems like as population grows, it potentially grows a lot faster than what the demographic study is showing. The problem is not where to put the students in the current student schools, but where's the overflow going to go? You can't make more classrooms by magic has to get paid
089for, has to get built someplace. And as a student who came through schools in a totally different district where the population exploded as we were coming through, every time I came through to school, it was under construction for the students behind me. It wasn't great. People had to go to school and trailer for a long time because it wasn't planned for adequately. It feels to me like if we can't get the plans in place for redistricting in time or if the population suddenly jumps up and we're not prepared for it, kids are going to be going to school in trailers and that's what we don't want to have happen. So, I'd like to hear aside from redistricting, what other plans are being discussed to house all the students that we get? Because I think preschool
090for everyone is a great idea. I want everyone to get [clears throat] all the education we possibly can. Great education to be happy in this district. I'm very excited about it, but I want to make sure that everyone has a chance to go into a classroom that's the right size. Where they go is important. Want to make sure we had enough classrooms, I think, is going to be the big key. epidemic metric study happens to have the higher side not the middle ratings that we're all concerned about. So the question is what other things are we considering besides redistricting to make sure that all the students are properly housed and the ratios are kept in check. Thank you. Miss Pace, can you please speak to the timeline of the preschool when they told us um
091that we were not getting funding the day of or the day before? >> I was not your business administrator at that time, so I have no doubt that I'm talking. I was not the business administrator at the time so I can't speak to why funding laps. >> Again the question about that trying to bring up as an illustrated the point that there were alternates planned aside from redistricting what other plans is the board considering or proposals showing the board aside for redistricting to house the students and keep the ratios as low as possible. That's what I'd like to talk about. >> Currently, we did a comprehensive assessment of all the buildings. There is a finance and facilities committee and we're walking all the buildings so that they can get a true assessment of where we
092are and where we lie so that we can come up with a plan. >> Will that be completed by the next meeting or before the board votes on redistricting in February? >> It it should be closer to February, March. it will not be done by the November 24th meeting. >> So, in terms of um additional classrooms or buildings or purchasing space, we don't have money for that. We could barely we're we're cutting every year we're cutting line items off of our budget just to balance the budget. We have a balanced budget. We don't we have very we have one debt item I think that's completing this year. >> We have we have two bonds. one bond will be completed uh September of 2027. That debt will be rolling off. So in terms of either buying
093buildings or building additional buildings, I don't think that that's if we do something like that, it would be through a bond referendum to the voting public and we're not quite there yet. We did walk through some of the other buildings that you mentioned. Uh however, they are not up to code. change. >> Did that change since the last time that the preschools were proposed and did not work out? >> I was not the BA at the time. So I don't know. I think I can answer in terms of the at that time the the buildings that um the district was thinking of um were open. So they were they were available. those that particular building where the YMC YMCA was no longer available. The township went into is now in that building. So >> So
094those those classrooms were those classrooms were open. >> Okay. Um anything else? Any other public? >> Okay. We're going to vote on our agenda items. Miss >> Mr. Mon >> Miss Martinez. >> Yes. >> Miss Warning. >> Yes. >> Thank you. If um I'm sorry, Miss Call, if you wanted to complete your thought or if there was any other comments, um we can have this unfinished business or your business section to talk about it for a couple minutes if anybody wants ahead. Give us your delegate assembly update. Thank you. >> Thank you. I'm moving around. Um, okay. So, yes, the uh delegate the schoolboard association delegate assembly is meeting November 22nd and I wanted to quickly go over the resolutions that will be considered since I have to vote on the board's behalf. Um, the
095first one is a policy manual update. Um the the policy manuals that uh um our boards all have uh say that a member who fails a background check can demonstrate evidence of rehabilitation um in order to remedy it so that they can still be sit as a board member. That's the current policy manual. um what is being suggested as an additional thing is a um because that obviously presenting evidence then there's some decision- making made um and this is I think the department of education makes this decision so what the suggestion is is adding also that consideration be given to the date of the offense um this was del board of education suggested and I believe it's again sort of a restorative justice focus that if somebody did something and it was 25 years ago
096that's different than if somebody did like two years ago. Um so that's the first suggestion resolution. Um the next so I don't know if you want to go in each of them if anybody has any questions or um so the next one is um a resolution supporting free school meals for all students at the expense of the state andor the federal government. Um this was presented by the Clifton Board of Education. It is consistent actually with New Jersey Schoolboard Association's advocacy agenda already. So um they uh so our association already advocates for um free school lunch for all funded by the state and federal government of course um because we could not afford to do that locally. So this would be it's a resolution almost sounds redundant but that it would finally be officially part
097of what the delegate assembly is is suggesting. Okay. So the last one is that um this is the one I suggest that Mr. school again really like to hear we would all like to hear this too that um a uh that local school boards should dedicate equitable time to science education in elementary and middle schools relative to other subject areas as in math and English language arts they're not suggesting literally equal time but that more time be spent on it than what is spent right now um this was proposed by Bridgewater so uh for the public's benefit these These are not resolutions that have the force of law or even are automatically part of our board's policies. This this really informs the New Jersey School Board Association on what they should be advocating on our
098behalf to the state legislature. So, a lot of these turn into once they're if they're approved, they turn into bills that one will see in front of the assembly or the Senate typically um because then the schoolwork association writes it up and then gets a sponsor and ends up out on the floor with varied success, but there's some Okay, so does anybody think that is it okay? Can I can I vote yes on these? >> I thank you very much. >> Thank you. Um, I just also want to thank um all the members of the public that came out. I know it's a week night. It's gets to be late. Um, we we as I mentioned um it's transparency and community engagement is a board goal. It's a personal goal of mine. Um I was
099in the audience before I was up here, so I know exactly what that's like. Um so I appreciate you coming and I hope to see you all lunch. Um, be it resolved that a closed session be convened for the purpose of discussing privacy, personnel, and legal advice. The subject matter of these discussions will be disclosed to the public when the reason for confidentiality subsides. Although the board cannot guarantee it, the length of executive session is estimated to be 30 minutes after which the public meeting of the board shall reconvene and proceed with business. Action will not take place. Can I have a motion in a second? Thank you.